The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-01-22
FOR HoRsE-owNERs.


FOR HoRSE-oWNERs.
Some Necessary Attentions which They
Should show Their Animals.
The owner and driver have control
over the sundry little things that ap.
pertain to their own personal CD nfort,
but the poor horse that hauls III load
and driver both over good roa4 As and
bad. controls nothing. He Is forced to
pull heavy load against a badly fitting
collar, CALLED shoulder, or with a
check-rein so tight that he is unable to
get down to a comfortable and effective
pull. 1t is the little things, not singly,
but combined, that give the horse dis
comfort-the CALLED shoulder; the col
lar that in part cuts off the wind in
ascending a hill; going MP hill with
head checked up taut; too tight a
belly-band. cutting short the full ex-
pansion of the lungs. The direction OF
the draft is too high for slanting
shoulder, or too low for one that is mp
right. The shoes are too smooth for
slippery roads, thus preventing the
possib. lily of planting the feet firmly
for astsady pull. In such case the fore
feet slip to the right and the left, and
the hind feet, one at time slip back
ward with crack, in some cases Civ
ing fearful strain to the leg and loin.
Yet, in such a case, many driver will
give the horse sharp cut with the
whip for permitting momentary check
20 II L. L.
Horses are made to pull heavy lo:sds,
and make speed over hard pavements
or frozen ground when the feet are
tender. no allowances being made for
the discomfort to the beast. Many
horses that perform hard labor. and do
this from day to day on moderat, feed.
are hurried over the road or made to
draw loads beyond their strength. To
deny a frequent breathing spell is one
of the many inhumanities put upon the
horse. This denial of brief. needed
rest causes many horse, to become
balky. A person ignorant of the
horses peculiarities and capabilities.
buys horse when thin in flesh and
correspondingiy weak. and being ignor-
ant as to the real effect of this upon the
animals ability to pull load over
loads; the horse stops with u wheel
deep down in rut, or at the foot of a
hill-why? Not be cause he is, or ever
has been, other than willing horse.
but because he is asked to do what his
strength is not equal to. and he does
the most natural thing for him to do
under the circumstances, the only
thing. in fact. left for him to do,
namely. to stop. The new owner de-
nounces him as a confirmed baker. and
straightway resorts to the whip.
The man who has had experience
with horses. can, at glance at the
countenance of o poorly-fed and over
worked animal, pass upon his ability,
or rather want of ability, to perform
labor as readily as a medical expert
would pass upon the condition of .
pale. ill-nourished, over-worked shop
girl. such as Ne meet mornings and
evenings on the street cars of a crowded
city; and the truism that you can not
expect something from nothing, applies
to both these cases. After having
bought a strange horse, If after putting
him into use, it is discovered that he
seems not to be equal to the work you
put upon him. it 10 p ,ssible TO show
HIM favor by giving him the best of the
road. The average driver permits bis
team to follow the beaten track. regard
less of mud aud ruts; and now and
then a wheel drops into rut hub-deep.
giving the team a violent check back,
and requiring the utmost effort to gain
solid ground. By looking ahead. keep
ing the team ..well in hand rs all
competent drivers do. the best ground
can be selected for the load to pass
over. In making a stop to give horse
q little respite, prudent driver will
always come to halt upon firm ground.
and if practicable upon defending
ground, thus insuring an easy start.
Upon macadamized roads, where hills
are cut through, and there are no ruts
or soft places to shun. success hinges
upon having strong legs and feet, and
good wind, and SO managing as to pre-
serve these intact -Rurai New Yorker.